Signal.



2 SHEETSY-SHEET l.

.MAMA/70A? f J. C. COULOMBE.

SIGNAL.

APPLicATloN FILED AuG.13. 1914.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

1.c.CuL0MBE.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. 1914.

1,292,436. Patented Jan.28,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOSEPH CLEOPHAS COULOMBE, O F LOVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 28, 19,19.

Application inea August 1a, i914. serial No. 856,684.

end, my invention contemplates the use ofl a rotor having a circumferential series of signal in accordance with my invention.

centrifugally acting impact elements or hammers pivotally and slidably mounted thereon and effective to progessively contact with and impart vibrations to the sound reproducing l medium as the are revolved therepast.' The sound pro ucing elements Vof my invention are capable of use in either the' electrical or so called mechanical horns, but for the purposes of my present application, I shall show and particularly discuss its embodiment ina mechanically operable structure.

The drive for the rotor is such that it will be continuously revolved in the saine direction in both movements of the reciprocable actuating plunger therefor. The movement of the rotor actuating plunger in one direction is op osed within predetermined limits by a ictional resistance device, whereby, when the resistance is overcome, the plunger will, descend quickly and suddenly to impart an effective impulse to the rotor to overcome its inertia and immediately set it to rotating at sufficient velocity to produce the desired pitch. These and other features which will appear more particularly hereinafter are secured in my improved signal.

The construction and operation of my invention will be more fully disclosed and discussed in the specification which follows. ln the drawings forming a part of that specification I have shown as an illustrative embodiment a form of signal which has roven efficient and satisfactory in use. xI`hroughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are correspondingly applied, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a Fig. 2 is` a detail, partly in elevation and partly in lon tudinal section of the rotor operating mec anism of my invention.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are detail sections on the lines 3-3 and 4--4 respectively, of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are details -of parts to be more fully described hereinafter.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the sleeve 45 and associated parts. i

9 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 10 is -a transverse section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11- 's a perspective view of the sleev 24: and pa wl 35.

Fig. 12 is a vertical central section through the s1eeves 39 and 40, and,

Fig. 13 1s an enlarged detail section particularly illustrating the spring-controlled detent for temporarily opposing the descent of the plunge I have indicated at 1 a standard adapted to be attached to. an automobile or other vehicle in conveniently operable relation to the. drivers seat. The standard 1 terminates at its upper end in a hollow head or casing 2 in which the sounding members of the signal and their operating parts are located. T e casing 2 is formed as a suitably shaped shell closed at its rear end and open at its front end. At its front end, said casing is turned upwardly and then over laterally in the form of a circumferential flange 3.- Between this lange and the inner flanged end of an outwardly flaring trumpet or horn 5 a vibratory disk or diaphragm 6 is fastenedby screws 7 The diaphragm 6 completely seals the front open end of the shell l2. lSet centrally of the diaphragm is a bearing 8 in whicha contact member in the form of a screw 9 is adJustably set up. The pointed end of the screw 9 is positioned for progressive lcontact with a peripheral series of centrifugal impact elements or hammers 10 pivotally and slidably mounted on a rotor in the form of a pair of laterally disposed dislgs 11 by two circumferential rows of radial pins 12 and 13. The delivery of sound emitted through the horn 5 is controlled by a muflier 15 pivotally mounted within the horn 5 on a pivot rod 16. The rod 16 passes through the lugs 161 on the mufller'and has an end 17 extending through the horn 5 whereby the muller may be ad]uste d. The muiiler has an ear 14 on its eriphery adapted to bear against. the

l65 in the slot 31 and the springs 37 laid on top vibration of the diaphragm to that set up on exten 18 in which the pin 13 is ocated.v

the rebound by the impact of the hammers of the rotor, therely changing the* quality of v the sound emitte The hammers 10 of the rotor are preferably of the shape and have the arrangement best shown in Fig. 3'. Referrlng to this li ure, iit will be seen that the hammers radially about the periphery of the rotor in a circumferential series. Each hammer is in the form of a closed loop or band having an inner restricted end'grad ually tapermg to an outer enlarged conmaas of the pawls with their legs as streamingexternal cqvering sleeves 39 and 40 setV on the sleeve 30. The purpose of the sleeves 39 and 40 is to cover .the slot 31 and prevent the pawls and springs from falling out.

For the purpose of giving an'increased rotation on the down stroke the bearing 21 is formed `as a counter bore to receive a sleeve 45 having an' internal thread 47 corresponding to the thread 27 .of the sleeve 25. The

tact end. The sides of each hammer near\\sleeve 45 is formed with an external ratchet its inner end define a strai ht na'rrow slot Each slot 18 terminates at its outer enel in a circular slot 19, in which the pm 12. 1s located.

`The pins guide and limit the-'travel of the hammers. The arrangement is such that when the hammers are thrown out past the eriphery of the disks 11 by the centrlfugal orce developed when the rotor is revolved, they progressively strike against the screw 9 with a yielding contact Ieffective to prevent breakage of the parts. v

l casing The rotor is revolved by means of a vertically reciprocable plunger or push rod 20 guided in alined bearings 21 and 211 1n the 2 and having an o erating lm ob 22- swive ed to its upper en in convenlently operable reach of the driver.

The plunger 20 has two oppositely pltched spiral grooves 23 extending v from end to. end thereof. Two vertically disposed spaced sleeves 24 and 25 have operative connection with said plunger by means of two oppositely pitched spiral ribs or threads 26 and 27 thereon fitting in said grooves 23. At their opposed ends the sleeves 24 and 25 have each a circumferential ratchet 28 and 29.- Inclosing both sleeves is a sleeve 30 to which the rotor disks llare rigidlyfixed. The4 sleeve 30 has a longitudinal slot 31 extending between its ends and terminating in a cross slot 32 at each end. Two pawls 33 and 34 are inserted in the opposite ends of the slot 31.` Each pawl has a headed outer end itting in the cross slot .32 and each carries at vits inner end a projection or tongue 35-36. The tongues 35 and 36 are beveled in 'opposite directions so as to present each an abrupt 46 corresponding to 28 and 29 of the sleeves 24 and 25. This ratchet is engaged by the pawl 48 which `is held in operativeposition by the spring member 49.

The action vof this sleeve 45 thereforeis to rotate the plunger 20 on its 'downward :stroke s0 as to produce a double resultant On the return of the suddenly developed centrifugal force. In

effecting this, I 4 provide' a predetermined frictional resistance to the downward reciprocation of the plunger. This detent automatically releases when its limit is reached and passed to permit a sudden descent' of the lunger. with consequent initial rotation of t e rotor at maximum velocity. This friction detent may conveniently be in the form shown in Fig. 1. In that figure I have shown the upper bearing 211 for the plunger v2O as having a lateral extension 41. t The extension 41 has a bore in which a coiled spring 42 is seated. The 4compression of the spring, and thus the limit of' resistance 'of the detent, is adjusted by al set screw 43 threaded into said extension 41. Yieldingly confined between the inner end of the spring 42 and the plunger 20 is a friction element in the form of a ball 44. The action of the spring is to force the ball against the plunger and to thereby resist the depression of the plunger until the'pressure has been increased sufficiently to overcome the tension .for which the sprin is set, whereupon the plunger descends quickl and sets the rotor into rapid initial rotation. The detent 44' also catches the stem on its return and pre- ,vents an uneven rebound of the actuating stem.

The downward travel of the plunger is further resisted, after the spring 42 has been overcome, by a coiled spring 451 seated in a bore and oil well 461 in the standard 1.

The action of this spring is to take up the drive of the rotor when the downward travel of the push rod has been overcome by it, and to return the plunger to original position and in this return to continue to revolve the rotor in the same direction as given it by the downward reciprocation of the plunger. This action yis effected through the arrangement of ratchet sleeves and spiral grooves described.

The operation is as follows. The damper 15 having been set to regulate fthe volume ofsound emitted and the tension of the spring 42l having been adjusted to the desired degree of frictional resistance, the plunger 20 is depressed. As soon as the resistance offered by the spring 42 has been overcome the plunger moves abruptly downward. On the downward movement of the plunger the sleeve 24 drives the rotor and the sleeve 25 ratchets. This operation is reversed on the return movement of ythe plunger. As the plunger descends the right hand thread 26 of the-sleeve 24 and the left hand thread 47 of the sleeve 45 are simultaneously engaged by the opposite grooves 23 of the plunger. This rotates the sleeve 24 in a counterclockwise direction, looking down upon the rotor, and imparts to the sleeve 45 a tendency to rotate in the opposite direction but which rotation is prevented by the pawl 48. The rotation of the sleeve 24 in this direction causes the pawl 35 to lock with the teeth 26 of said sleeve and to thereby rotate the sleeve 30 which carries the rotor. The engagement of the thread 47 of the non-rotating sleeve 45 with the other groove of the plunger rotates the plunger as it passes through said sleeve, thereby doubling the speed of the sleeve 24 and thus the speed of the rotor. The knob 22 of the plunger being swiveled, permits the plunger itself to .rotate without itself rotating in the hand. In this downward movement of the plunger, the sleeve 25 remains stationary,

. being prevented from rotating by its pawl 36, and the sleeve 30 rotates .about thc sleeve 25. The centrifugal force developed by the rapidly revolving rotor causes the movable hammers 10 to slide outwardly beyond the edges of the disks l1, and progressively contact the end of the screw 9, thereby vibrating the diaphragm 6 and producing a succession of staccato sounds. When the plunger has reached the limit of its downward travel, the spring 451 which has been compressed by this downward vmovement becomes effective to return the plunger to raised position. In this return movement thefsleeve 25 is rotated in the same direction as sleeve 24 was rotated on the down-stroke of the plunger, causing pawl 36 and teeth 39 to engage and revolve the rotor in the same direction of rotation as imparted to it on the downward stroke of the plunger. The sleeve 24 and pawl 35 and the sleeve 45 and pawl 48 both ratchet so that the plunger turns freely, but is guided by the threads 47 and 26.

Various modifications in the form and con 70 struction of, my device may obviously be made, all without departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

lWhat I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In a device of the class described, a casing, a vi'bratory element, |a plunger \mounted for reciprocation Ithrough said casing and having opposite spirals, a rotor on said plunger, a pair of members oppositely ratcheted to said rotor and each having a threaded engagement with one of said spirals and a third member ratcheted to said casing and having a threaded engagement with one 85 of said spirals, and means for reciprocating said plunger.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing, a vibratory element, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in said casing, means for rotating said plunger in one direction, a rotor anda pair of oppositely ratcheted operating connections between said plunger and said rotor for imparting continuous rotation 'K to said rotor therefor.

3. In a warning signal, a vibratory element, a rotor comprising a pair of spaced disks fastened to rotate together, an annular series of substantially radially reciprocable hammers pivotally and slidably mounted between said disks for limited movement toward and from said vibratory element and having rounded contact faces adapted to strike said element with a yielding impact permitting an oscillatory movement of said ammers on their pivots.

4. In a device of the class described a vi,- bratory disk, means for vibrating said disk, a sound delivery horn, a muile plate pivoted in said horn adjacent to said disk and having a disk contacting projection on its periphery adapted to be moved into and out of contact with said disk.

5. In a device of the class described, a vibratory element, a rotor, impact elements associated with said rotor and disposed for contact with said vibratory element, means for rotating said rotor, and means effectively disposed to offer a predetermined resistance to the operative movement of said rotor operating means.

6. In a device of the class described, a vibratory element, a rotor, impact elements associated with said rotor and disposed for radially yieldable contact with said vi'bra- 125 tory element, reciprocable means for rotating said rotor, and a detent effectively disposed to Offer a predetermined resistance to the reciprocation in one direction of said rotor operating means.

7. In a device of the class described, a vibratory element, a rotor, impact elements associated. with said rotor and dis osed for radially yieldable contact with said' vibratory element, a reciprocable plunger for rotating said rotor, and a s ring pressed friction element eectively, isposed to oier a predetermined resistance in one direction to' the reciprocation of said plunger.. t

8.*In a device of the class described, a

vibratory element, a rotatable element, im Y pact elements associated with said rotatable element and disposed for contact with said.

vibratory element, reciprocable means hav-v ing lan o erative connection with said rotatable e ement eifective to rotate said element continuously in the `same direction in either direction of reciprocation, and a detent eifectively disposed to offer a lresisttion element e ectively dispose ance within predetermined limits to the reciprocation in one direction of said rotor operating means.

9. In a warning signal, a vibratory element, a rotor, a hammer mounted thereon, a reciprocable and rotatable rotor driving member operatively connectible with the rotor, means for convertin the reciprocatory motion of said mein er into rotary motion to rotate said member and thus the rotor continuously in the same direction in either direction of reciprocation of the said drivin member.

10. a.device of the class described, a

vibratory element, a rotatable element, im-

pact elements associated with said rotatable element and disposed for contact with said vibratory element, a, plunger having a pawl and ratchet connection with said rotatablev motion of said member intorotary motion to rotate said member and thus the rotor continuously in the same direction in either direction Aof reciprocation of the said driving member, and means for imparting an 1n-l creased iate of rotation tosaid driving memf ber upon reciprocation in one direction.l

12. In a warning signal, a vibratory element, a rotor, a hammer mounted thereon, a reciprocable and rotatable rotor driving member operatively connectible with the rotor, means for converting the reciprocatory motion of said member into rotary motion to rotate said member and thus thev rotor continuously in the same direction in `either ing member rotated b vupon reciprocation 'o incense direction of reciprocation of the said driving member, and means for rotatin rotor independently of the rotation o the drivin member upon the return movement of sai member. f

13: In a warning signal, a vihratory element, a reciprocable plunger a pair of oppositely revo one of said devices the plunger in one direction and rotated by the other device upon reciprocation in the opposite direction, whereby the rotor is revolved constant] in the same direction upon reciprocation o the plunger in either direction.`

the t uble devices, an a rotor-carry- 14. In a warning signal, al rotor, 'a reciprocable plunger, a pair of motion convertin said plunger and rotor and rotated by said plunger, and means for imparting rotation tosaid plunger during' its reciprocation in one direction to. increase the rotation of one of said connections.

15. In a warning signal, a rotor, a recip rocable plunger, a Iair of ratchet elements,

and transmitting connections betweenv one remaining stationary and the other rotating in an effective direction respectively upon movement of the plunger in one direction, and a ratchet element held against rotation on amovement of the plunger in one direction to rotate the plunger itself and thereby increase the rate of revolution of the ratchet element which is being rotated in an e'ective direction and rotating idly on a movement of the plunger in another direction.

16. In a warning signal, a rotor, a reciprocable plunger having oppositely itched spiral grooves, a pair of ratchet e ements rotated by said plunger and each having a thread corresponding in pitch to one of said grooves, a pair of pawls coperating with said ratchets and effective therewith to rotate the rotor upon reciprocation 'of the plunger, a third ratchet element having a thread corresponding to one of the". plunger grooves, and a pawl -holding said third ratchet element against rotation by said plunger in one `direction of reciprocation thereof whereby the plunger is rotated as it runs through said ratchet and the rotation of one of said pair of ratchets is increased and permitting said plunger-rotating ratchet to turn freely without' rotating the plunger on the return movement thereof.

17. In a warning signal, a reciprocable and rotatable plunger'having v a swiveled operating portion, a rotor, and means for converting the reciprocatory motion of the plunger into rotative motion and applying it to the plunger and rotor to rotate the same. f 18. In a warning signal, a reciprocable pluri er, a pair of ratchets o eratively con-` necti le therewith, one ratc et remaining llt ias

stationary upon reciprocation of the plunger in one direction, whereby to impart an initial rotation to the lunger and the other ratchet revolved by t}l)1e plunger upon reciprocation in said direction, and a rotorcarrying element revolved by the rotating ratchet.

20. In a warning signal, a reciprocable plunger, a pair of ratchets operatively connectible therewith, one ratchet remaining stationary upon reciprocation of the pluner in one direction,'whereby to impart an initial rotation to the plunger, and the other ratchetv revolved by the plunger unon recipiocation in said direction, and a rotor-carrying element revolved by the rotating ratchet and comprising a revoluble member having al pawl engageable with the said rotating ratchet and rotated thereby to revolve said revoluble member.

21. In a warning signal, a reciprocable plunger, a pair of ratchetso eratively connectible therewith, one ratciet remaining stationary upon reciprocation of the pluner in one direction, whereby to impart an initial rotation to the plunger, and the other ratchet revolved by the lunger upon reciprocation in said direction, and a rotorca ing element revolved bythe rotatin rate et, and means for increasing the spee .of rotation of the plunger and thus of the rotor after the rotated ratchet has started to rotate.

22. In a warning signal, .e reciprocable plun r, a pair of ratchets o eratively con'- necti le therewith one ratchet remainin stationary to thereby rotate the plunger and the other ratchet being rotated by the lunger upon reciprocation thereof in one rection, and s a stationary ratchet being rotated and said rotated ratchet remaining4 stationary in the return movement "of the plunger`,""and a rotor-carrying member revolved ina constant direction alternately by said rotatin ratchets, whereby the 'move ment of the p unger in both directions is utilized.

23. In a warning signal, a reciprocable plunger, a pair of ratchets operatively connectible therewith, one ratchet remaining stationary to thereby rotate the plunger and the other ratchet being rotated by the plunger upon an inward reciprocation of the plunger, a third ratchet operatively connectible with the plunger and remaining -'stationary upon the inward movement thereof to increase the rotation of the rotated ratchet and thus the plunger, and a rotorcarrying member revolved by said rotated ratchet.

24. In a warning signal, a reciprocable plunger, a pair of ratchets o eratively connectible therewith, one ratc et remaining stationary to thereby rotate the plunger and the other ratchet being rotated by the plunger upon an inward reciprocation of the plun er, a third ratchet operatively connecti le with the plunger and remaining stationary upon the inward movement thereof to increase the rotation of the rotated ratchet and thus the plunger, and a rotorcarrying member revolved by said rotated ratchet, said stationary ratchet of the pair of ratchets rotated by the plunger upon the return movement thereof and rotating the rotor-ca ing member in the direction of rotation imparted to it by the rotated ratchet upon the inward movement of the plunger.

25. In a warning signal a reciprocable plunger, a pair of oppositely revoluble elements, one of which remains stationary to revolve the plunger and the other ofi w ich is rotated by the plunger upon an inward movement of the plunger, the action of said elements being reversed upon the return movement of the plunger, and a rotor-carrying member alternately connectible with the rotated element of said pair of elements, whereb said member is rotated in a constant irection upon both the inward and return moves of the plunger.

In testimon whereof I aix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

, JOSEPH CLEOPHAS COULOMBE.

Witnesses:

LIONEL LoUrRET, ARTHUR HARRISON. 

